Tow crimper closure



Oct. 13, 1964 Filed May 29, 1962 w. R. OSBAN 3,152,379

Tow CRIMPER CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. William R. Osbun ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1962 INVENTOR. William R. Osbun BY 7%;

A 7' TOR/VE Y Oct. 13, 1964 w. R. OSBAN 3,152,379

TOW CRIMPER CLOSURE Filed May 29, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 William R. Osbon ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,152,379 TOW CRIMPER CLOSURE William R. Osban, Gulf Breeze, Fla, assignor to American Cyanamid Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine Filed May 29, 1962, Ser. No. 198,646 6 Claims. (Cl. 281) This invention relates to apparatus for crimping tow, and more particularly, to an improved outlet closure for such apparatus of the stuffing box type.

In the stufi'ing-box type of crimper, the material being crimped is packed or wadded under pressure into a confined chamber against the back pressure provided by a constriction in the outlet thereof, which constriction is called the outlet closure. In the usual crimper, the tow is packed into the crimper chamber by means of a pair of coacting feed rolls and the back pressure is provided by such means as one or more gates resiliently urged toward a closed position covering the outlet of the crimper chamber. Illustrative of such crimpers are the devices illustrated in the following United States Patents: 2,311,- 174; 2,514,557; 2,686,339; 2,734,228; and 2,846,729.

In co-pending application Serial No. 198,629, filed May 29, 1962, by Davis and Comolli and assigned to the assignee of the present application, there is disclosed a novel tow crimper of the stuffing-box type wherein the force for packing or wadding the tow into the crimper chamber is provided by locating the tow crimper over the outlet of a pressure-containing vessel, the escaping gaseous pressure providing the wadding force' The present invention provides an improved closure for such tow-crimping devices. Basically, the end closure comprises a roller on one side of the crimper outlet which is resiliently urged toward a bearing surface at the other side thereof, the crimped tow exiting between such roller and such bearing surface. Preferably, the roller is resiliently urged toward the bearing surface by the co-action of a spring means, the compression of which is manually adjustable, and the pressure of a fluid introduced into a recess behind the roller.

For a clearer and more detailed understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the subjoined description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partially cut away, of an embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View of the crimper of FIGURE 1 to an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the crimper of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view of the crimper in use as an inlet seal for a pressure-containing vessel; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of another embodiment of a tow crimper in accordance with this invention.

Referring next to the drawing, and more particularly, to FIGURE 1 thereof, a pressurized chamber 11 is shown provided with steam-generating means 12 capable of supplying to the interior of chamber 11 steam at superatmospheric pressure through conduit 13. Pressurized chamber 11 is also provided with a crimping device 15 (which will be explained in greater detail in connection with FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4) secured to an opening in chamber 11 such as manhole 16.

Pressurized chamber 11 is also provided with an endless conveyor 18 for conveying tow or strand 19 to a region below crimping device 15. Above the exit of crimping device 15, a pair of coacting pulling rolls 21, 22 are provided for removing the crimped product from crimper 15 and discharging the crimped product onto endless con- 3,152,379 Patented Get. 13, 1964 "ice veyor 23 which conveys the crimped product towards subsequent stages of the process and apparatus. Pressurized chamber 11 is also provided with a condensate outlet 24 for removing condensed steam or other liquid from within the interior thereof.

Referring next to FIGURES 2 and 3, crimping device 15 is shown as mainly consisting of a hollow chamber 26 mounted on coverplate 28 which is adapted to be removably secured to manhole 16 as by bolts 29. Hollow chamber 26 is provided at one end thereof with an elongated opening 31 which communicates with the interior of pressurized chamber 11 through opening 32 in manhole cover 28. Hollow chamber 26 is provided at the other end thereof with an elongated opening 33 which communicates with the surrounding environment and which is provided with a pressure-maintaining exit closure.

This exit closure for crimper 15 comprises a roller 35 mounted in a recess 36 in one wall of hollow chamber 26 opposite a bearing surface 37 in the opposite wall of hollow chamber 26. Recess 36 is provided with a cap 39 having screw plug 4% mounted therein. Screw plug 49 serves as a back-up member for spring 4-1 whose other end presses against bearing plate 42 for resiliently urging roller 35 toward bearing surface 37 under a force which is manually adjustable by rotation of screw plug 40.

Screw plug 4-0 is provided with conduit 44 through which a liquid may be introduced under pressure to the interior of recess 36. Tins liquid also serves, in cooperation with the force of spring 41, for resiliently urging roller 35 toward bearing surface 37 and also for lubricating roller 35. Additionally, the flow of this liquid through the constricted spaces between the periphery and ends of roller 35 and the edges of recess 36 serves to prevent the accumulation of broken filaments or other debris in such constricted spaces. Also, where such liquid is relatively cool, it may serve for cooling the crimped tow from the elevated temperature at which the crimping action takes place to a temperature below the softening point of the material being crimped prior to the withdrawal of the crimped fibers from crhnper 15. If desired, the liquid introduced through conduit 44 may contain additional treating agents, such as lubricants, antistatic agents, dyes, etc., as may be desired for treating the crimped tow.

As used herein, the term tow is intended to include endless lengths of elongated material, whether comprising strands of relatively few endless filaments or of relatively large numbers thereof, such as from 100,000 to a million or more of endless filaments, strands or threads of staple fibers, ribbons, tapes, fabrics, etc., regardless of composition, e.g., acrylics, nylon, cotton, rayon, polyesters, vinyl polymers, etc.

In operation, the fibers to be crimped are heated to a temperature above their softening points within pressurized chamber 11. This may be accomplished by heat alone, or by heat in conjunction with other agents such as moisture depending upon the particular composition of the fibers to be crimped. Such heating most efficaciously can be performed by introducing wet or saturated steam under superatmospheric pressure into pressurized chamber 11 and permitting it to contact tow or strand 19 for a sulficient time to cause softening thereof.

The thus softened fibers 19 are ejected into hollow chamber 26 of crimping device 15 by the action of the super-atmospheric pressure trying to escape from pressurized chamber 11 thereby compacting fibers 19 into upper portion of hollow chamber 26 and imparting thereto a crimped configuration. Cooling liquid, such as water at room temperature, entering through conduit 44 passes through recess 36 and into hollow chamber 26, cooling the crimped fibers therein to below the softening point while such fibers are maintained crimped as a compacted mass under the action of pressure from chamber 11. The

thus cooled crimped fibers are pulled outwardly from hollow chamber 26 through the constricted space between bearing surface 37 and roller 35 by coacting pulling wheels 21, 22 and deposited on endless conveyor 23 for further processing as may be desired.

Referring next to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated the stuffing-box crimper having therein an exit closure in accordance with this invention, and specifically, the identical structure illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, shown in its use as a seal for the inlet to a pressure chamber 11. Of course, when used as an inlet for introducing endless tow 19 to the interior of pressure chamber 11, tow 19 will be pulled therethrough by some means, such as a pair of coacting star wheels located within pressure chamber 11 for deposition of tow 19 on endless conveyor 18.

Referring next to FIGURE 5, there is shown another embodiment of this invention wherein the end closure for the hollow chamber 56 comprises a pair of rollers 57, 58 mounted in recesses in opposite walls of hollow chamber 56 and resiliently urged toward each other by the action of springs 59 and 60 in conjunction with the pressure of liquid introduced through conduits 61 and 62. Within the concept of the subjoined claims, either rollers 57 or 58 may be considered as a roller and the other roller of the pair thereof may be considered as a bearing surface. The other elements of the structure illustrated in FIGURE are identical in function with the corresponding elements shown in FIGURE 2, and, accordingly, reference may be had to the above description of FIGURE 2 for an explanation of the structure and function of these corresponding elements in FIGURE 5.

While the foregoing description of the use of this novel closure for a crimper of the stufiing-box type has been in terms of its use on a crimper such as described and claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 198,629, filed May 29, 1962, by Davis and Comolli and assigned to the assignee of the present application, itis to be understood that this closure is likewise useful for crimpers of the stuffing-box type wherein the tow is packed into the stufling-box by the action of a pair of co-acting rollers in the manner of the conventional stufiing-box type crimpers.

I claim:

1. A tow crirnper comprising:

a hollow chamber having an elongated opening at each end thereof, said hollow chamber having a recess in one Wall thereof adapted to support a roller;

a bearing surface on the side of said chamber opposite said recess;

a roller supported partially within said recess;

spring means resiliently urging said roller toward said bearing surface; and

means for admitting liquid under pressure to said recess behind said roller to also resiliently urge said 4; roller toward said bearing surface and to permit said liquid to flow through the constricted spaces between said roller and the walls of said recess into said hollow chamber.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for stuffing tow into said hollow chamber under pressure.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for stufiing tow comprises a pressure-containing vessel having an outlet opening operatively associated with the opening of said hollow chamber at the end remote from said one end thereof; and means for introducing gas under superatmospheric pressure to the interior of said vessel.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for adjusting the force exerted by said spring means on said roller.

5. A tow crimper comprising:

a pressure-containing vessel having an outlet opening;

means for supplying hot gas under superatmospheric pressure to the interior of said vessel;

a hollow chamber having an inlet communicating with said outlet opening and having a discharge opening;

a bearing surface on one side of said chamber near said discharge opening;

a recess in the second side of said chamber opposite said bearing surface;

a roller supported partially within said recess; and

means resiliently urging said roller toward said bearing surface, said means comprising spring means and fluid pressure means both coacting to urge said roller toward said bearing surface,

said fluid pressure means including means for introducing liquid under superatmospheric pressure into said recess behind said roller whereby liquid is permitted to flow through the constricted spaces between said roller and the walls of said recess into said hollow chamber.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said bearing surface comprises a second roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,500,690 Lannan Mar. 14, 1950 2,624,077 Winslow Jan. 6, 1953 2,793,418 Pfau May 28, 1957 2,820,278 Mariani et a1. Jan. 21, 1958 2,846,729 Sonnino Aug. 12, 1958 2,960,730 Shattuck Nov. 22, 1960 3,036,357 Cook et a1. May 29, 1962 3,046,633 Ohashi et al July 31, 1962 3,090,096 Schwartz May 21, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 850,033 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1960 

5. A TOW CRIMPER COMPRISING: A PRESSURE-CONTAINING VESSEL HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HOT GAS UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID VESSEL; A HOLLOW CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OUTLET OPENING AND HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING; A BEARING SURFACE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID CHAMBER NEAR SAID DISCHARGE OPENING; A RECESS IN THE SECOND SIDE OF SAID CHAMBER OPPOSITE SAID BEARING SURFACE; A ROLLER SUPPORTED PARTIALLY WITHIN SAID RECESS; AND MEANS RESILIENTLY URGING SAID ROLLER TOWARD SAID BEARING SURFACE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING SPRING MEANS AND FLUID PRESSURE MEANS BOTH COACTING TO URGE SAID ROLLER TOWARD SAID BEARING SURFACE, SAID FLUID PRESSURE MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR INTRODUCING LIQUID UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE INTO SAID RECESS BEHIND SAID ROLLER WHEREBY LIQUID IS PERMITTED TO FLOW THROUGH THE CONSTRICTED SPACES BETWEEN SAID ROLLER AND THE WALLS OF SAID RECESS INTO SAID HOLLOW CHAMBER. 